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Old 09-30-2015, 07:35 PM
 
31 posts, read 46,828 times
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Hello everyone!
I just would like some advice from people who have traveled cross country with cats. It will be me, my husband, our 3 kids and our 2 cats (both 2 years old). We are driving in our van and will take either 3 or 4 days to arrive in our new city. Cat #1 loves the car and venturing out. We frequently take him in the car wearing a harness and go to the pet store. He loves to walk around on a leash like a dog lol! Cat #2 hates the car and can barely handle driving 5 minutes down the road to the vet.

From research, I read the best way to travel is to keep them in a carrier at all times. I am fine with that idea. Except I am not sure where to put the litter box and when to offer food and water. I am also afraid of having them in the hotel room. They are very well behaved cats but I am afraid with all the change they may pee on the carpets or scratch up something in the hotel rooms. Should they just stay in their carrier at night too? And what size carrier is best? Right now we have 2 small ones that only fit one cat each, but I think cat #2 definately needs the comfort of his brother and should be in the same carrier as him.

Any tips or suggestions will be greatly appreciated! Thanks!
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Old 10-01-2015, 07:35 AM
 
Location: Black Hammock Island
4,620 posts, read 14,940,920 times
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We didn't do cross country, but we did do a long move that meant two very long days in the car and an overnight in a hotel. None of our cats (3) liked the car at all, so you're one up on me!

We kept each in their own carriers. At rest stops we did let them out, or gave them the option to come out, to move about the car. Of the three, only one ever did. And he was not interested in the least about getting a drink or using the litter box, but the choices were there. Just make sure that if/when you let them out of the carrier no one opens a window or a door, not even a crack. Since cats can be escape artists, you don't want that crisis.

When our car was in motion, the cats were kept in their carriers at all times. I don't think it really matters too much about the size because my three were content just to use a small portion of their carriers. If any had been in a palatial carrier each would have still stayed in one small part of it. I think what's necessary is that each one's carrier is large enough so that each can move and change position. Regarding the question of putting them together, the two carriers side by side in your van will give comfort to the non-rider cat - he'll know his buddy is there next to him. If they're not used to being in the same carrier, it might be more stressful than comforting to share.

At the hotel we first made sure the room was cat proof and safe. (It's a bit disgusting what can be found under beds and bureaus, and we'd get rid of these things.) We would set up the water, food, and litter box in the bathroom. All the while the cats would be observing and smelling from the safety of their carriers. Then we would let them out. Two took their time about it, but one started exploring right away. During the entire hotel stay they spent most of their time exploring every nook and cranny (which is why we checked first for anything under the furniture). None peed anywhere inappropriately nor scratched anything. The basic psychology behind that is that the hotel room, so full of smells, is not theirs nor is it intended to be theirs, so the concept of territory marking rarely happens.
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Old 10-04-2015, 07:53 PM
 
Location: Stillwater, Oklahoma
30,976 posts, read 21,536,313 times
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Do cats ever learn to enjoy riding in a car and looking out the window like many dogs do?
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Old 10-04-2015, 11:05 PM
 
Location: ☀️ SFL (hell for me-wife loves it)
3,671 posts, read 3,527,667 times
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Yes. Depends on the cat. They are as individual as we are, so each have their own personalities.
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Old 10-06-2015, 08:05 PM
 
60 posts, read 59,692 times
Reputation: 94
SO been there done that!
A few short months ago, I traveled cross country (from VA to WA) with many cats.
We had two running free (their ages 2 and 3) in my Nissan Armada, and one cat was in an XL
dog kennel cage in the back. Then I drove (my son drove the Armada) my husband's Mercury Grand Marquis with two additional cats. We had one litter box in each (+the one in the kennel), one food bowl, and one water bowl. Then each
cat had a kitty bed or cozy cube. One of my cats liked going back into the open cat kennel we left on one of the seats.
The ones in the Mercury are ages 11 and 5/6 (shelter kitty, not positive). We had another 2 in a uhaul cab out in the open as well. They mostly hung out under the seats until it was time to stay in a hotel overnight. It's not so hard. Now, sometimes they howl and yowl. It depends also on what you can tolerate. My son and I exchanged a cat each. We changed vehicles so I was stuck driving the car, which had his cat in it. He had my baby. They both calmed down once they were with their perspective 'people'. Just must constantly check on food and especially water. We DID learn small rodents (my poor daughter's robo dwarf hamsters) do not travel. All but one (she had 4) died. But the cats were good. They're really pretty hardy, little guys. Feel free to ask me anything if you should want. And I'm sure the others here are knowledgeable as well. I wish you the best in your venture! They're worth it!
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